Perfect Timing
Baek Si-hwan's caller was Baek Ji-woong of the W&W Group.
[Did you arrive safely in Silicon Valley?]
"Sorry to call so early. I've just finished the first round of due diligence and arrived at the accommodations."
It was now just past 4 p.m. in San Jose. anwhile, it was around 8 a.m. in South Korea, so Baek Ji-woong had not yet gone to work.
[First round? Didn't you go there for Taeshin Asset Managent's business? If he had been appointed to lead the TF division at Mulsan, he should have moved over as soon as possible.]
"You're correct. That's why both the group head office and asset managent division have been constantly contacting , but Kang In-hyuk instructed not to respond to any communications."
Weariness emanated from his voice. Baek Ji-woong reacted with curiosity.
[He cut off contact with the head office to finish his own business? So, how does the place seem to you?]
His voice was full of interest.
"I checked before leaving, but the place has all kinds of issues. Even today, during the first due diligence, they tried to conceal chronic problems in hopes of receiving investnt."
[So you think it's not worth investing in?]
"To be frank, yes."
Baek Ji-woong's sigh ca through the receiver.
[Hmm... Is that Kang In-hyuk really about to pour as much as a hundred million dollars into a place with no value?]
"Are you suggesting there's sothing else? But judging from its condition and technical value..."
[Kang In-hyuk might see sothing you don't. That's how he could rise so quickly at Taeshin Asset Managent, don't you think?]
He still regarded that point highly.
Of course, Baek Si-hwan also wondered—ever since before the trip, what exactly did Kang In-hyuk see to want to throw such a huge sum as a hundred million dollars?
"Then are you saying we should leave Kang In-hyuk be and just observe for now?"
In fact, due to the issue with Chulsan Capital and Daemyung Detective Agency's actions, Kang In-hyuk had beco prominent.
Then, after the dostic UID safehouse was hit, Hannya from the Organization ordered an investigation and report.
Kang In-hyuk was involved in the imdiate incident, so when Baek Ji-woong heard from Baek Si-hwan that he was going on a business trip abroad, a handling plan surfaced.
Naturally, Baek Si-hwan had already prepared so operations with the related team.
[How many have you deployed?]
"Myself excluded, five in total."
[A single team leader with two units, is it? Still, how do you expect that plan to succeed? Kang In-hyuk apparently has security guards at his side.]
Baek Si-hwan brought up sothing he hadn't yet reported.
"On Kang In-hyuk's orders, the security guards split off at the transit stop in LA airport. I don't know when they'll rejoin, but until then, it's just the two of us. We plan to stay here for at least three more days."
[So you're saying the opportunity is right now?]
"Here, yes."
Baek Ji-woong grew silent, as if thinking deeply, before speaking again.
[Have you tracked the whereabouts of the security guards?]
"I tried to check the movent routes, but after leaving the airport, they vanished into a CCTV blind spot."
[So we have no idea what's really happening.]
"... I apologize. There were too many constraints on my movents."
Frankly, with the sudden business trip and with Hong Yu-geon and Van Hester unexpectedly splitting up, Baek Si-hwan never anticipated such developnts.
With so many unforeseeable events, he was barely keeping up.
[I'm not blaming you. I'm just worried the dinner table is set a little too conveniently.]
"Are you saying Kang In-hyuk set himself up intentionally as a target?"
[It's not impossible. He has a more combative nature than we realized.]
"Even if he pulled the security guards and kept others on standby, it'd only be two people. Who could he possibly face with that?"
The questions multiplied endlessly.
[Weren't his security guards suspected of being rcenaries? He could have brought in additional people we don't know about.]
"But... would Kang In-hyuk really have that much money?"
Professional or ex-rcenary security cos at a price comnsurate with their skills.
Hiring several for a long period is not easy.
[I doubt he has such funds. If your suspicions are right, it would prove there's a hidden backer we're unaware of.]
There were no imdiate conclusions. Baek Si-hwan tentatively offered a suggestion.
"Should I probe him a bit?"
[Are you saying you'd attempt an attack? What will you do if the tail is traced back to us?]
Just as Baek Ji-woong said, everything felt just a bit too neatly arranged.
However, Baek Si-hwan wanted to put this opportunity to good use.
"What if I use this as a setup to earn Kang In-hyuk's trust?"
[Do you have a thod in mind?]
"I've thought of a good move."
A brief silence followed. Then Baek Ji-woong's response ca.
[Let's hear it, then.]
* * *
Before he knew it, two days had passed.
In-hyuk was sitting in Greenbyte Labs' eting room with Baek Si-hwan.
The two of them had spent nearly ten hours each day going through prepared docunts.
As evening arrived, Baek Si-hwan asked carefully:
"Will you be reviewing more today?"
"Since we're wrapping up tomorrow, I'll try to get through as much as possible today."
Greenbyte Labs' three years' worth of records were no small amount.
Still, In-hyuk maintained an incredible pace and had gone through over 70% of the docunts.
Watching this, Baek Si-hwan couldn't help feeling skeptical.
"Did you really check each one?"
"Why? Does it look like I'm skimming?"
"It just looks like you're moving through them awfully fast."
He spent less than five seconds per page.
"I'm only checking the necessary contents. Still, it's not as serious as I thought."
"The balance sheet shows a debt ratio of 186.32%. Most debts were incurred to offset research losses, and judging by circumstances, proving any research results will be difficult. For that reason, repaynt capacity also seems low."
That was a decidedly negative review. Objectively, In-hyuk would have agreed with that analysis.
"You seem to know business well for soone whose main job is security."
"I graduated in business administration from a cyber university while in the military."
"I saw that in your resu. But you seem to have a lot of practical experience as well."
For soone with only a security background, In-hyuk's observational skills were impressive.
"My post in the military was in the logistics division. That's probably why."
"I see."
Sarak— sarak—
In-hyuk resud flipping through the docunts swiftly. When he finished the last page, he did not pick up another.
"That's all for today."
"Understood."
As if accustod to this, Baek Si-hwan didn't ask anything else and stood up.
When they went outside, Mark Campbell approached quickly from the direction of the CEO's office.
"Did you find everything in order?"
"It wasn't bad. But I believe I said you don't need to co out every ti."
"Since you're here for investnt, I have to be attentive. By the way... do you have ti for dinner tonight? I feel bad that the division director has worked so hard, and we haven't properly treated you yet."
On the first day, Mark Campbell had been too busy to ntion it.
The day before and yesterday, though he'd suggested it, In-hyuk declined.
"We plan for the final due diligence tomorrow, so let's dine together tonight."
"Are you sure? Then let's go by car. It's about fifteen minutes away."
"We'll go in our own car."
Baek Si-hwan moved forward confidently and started following Mark Campbell's car along with several others.
Sitting in the back seat, In-hyuk glanced at Baek Si-hwan, who was driving as if nothing was wrong.
But In-hyuk noticed sothing different.
'He keeps glancing left and right while keeping his eyes ahead. He's maintaining distance from the car in front yet purposely slowing down at lights.'
Though he didn't look back, there was certainly a car tailing them already.
'By now... it's just the right timing to make a move.'
Once more, the car stopped at a crosswalk, barely catching the traffic light.
At that mont, two motorcycles from the right-hand road at the intersection stopped, and n all in black—from helts to outfits—pulled Uzis from inside their jackets.
"Division director! Get down!"
Right before the bullets fired, upon Baek Si-hwan's shout, In-hyuk ducked his head.
Just then, bullets flew toward In-hyuk's car.
Tatata-tatang— tatata-tatang—
The sharp, light crack of gunfire filled the road.
"Don't try to get up, no matter what."
Baek Si-hwan, while crouched in the passenger seat, popped open the glove box and took out a handgun.
Seeing this, In-hyuk's eyes widened, but Baek Si-hwan offered a faint smile.
"Since we're in the U. S., I prepared this separately on the first day."
"Do you have a firearm license?"
"I got one back when I worked at TSS. Still, if anything happens, I'll be relying on your help."
He had obtained a gun license, anticipating dangerous situations when going abroad for Taeshin Security business trips.
Then, Baek Si-hwan stuck the gun out through the shattered windshield and fired.
Tatata— tatang—
As he fired warning shots, the gunfire coming from the front faltered, and the motorcycles' sound was heard changing direction.
Then engine sounds started up from the back as well, and gunfire began from In-hyuk's side.
It beca clear who their target was—it was In-hyuk.
Baek Si-hwan hastily swung his gun toward them and squeezed the trigger.
Tatang— tatatang— tatang—
The bikers swerved quickly, weaving through the cars and trying to escape the area via the intersection.
"Fortunately, they seem shocked that we have a gun and are trying to run. But it isn't safe yet, so keep your head down."
Despite Baek Si-hwan's warning, In-hyuk raised his head and asked,
"Aren't you going to chase them?"
"Didn't you see? They're ard with submachine guns. First, we call the police and—"
"Sorry, but I can't just leave it at that."
Boom, boom— kakakakang—
At that mont, a strange explosive sound and a scraping noise rumbled from the road.
Startled, Baek Si-hwan quickly looked up.
Soone at the side of the road had fired an M79 grenade launcher at the bikers, hitting them and knocking them down.
"Those are—"
"They were supposed to return today. What perfect timing."
Standing at diagonally opposite corners of the intersection were Hong Yu-geon and Van Hester.
The n on motorcycles, fixated on escaping and In-hyuk's car, failed to react to their sudden attack.
Soon, struck by the heavy rubber bullets in the head, torso, and legs, they collapsed and writhed under their fallen bikes.
"How did those people get here...?"
"I asked them to join us at the restaurant since they'd just arrived. I didn't expect to be ambushed here, though."
In-hyuk brushed glass shards off his head and shoulders, stood up, then opened the back seat door and approached one of the n down on the ground.
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